What is BBest?

The BBEST Team is a vibrant and talented group of Etsians aged 40+ who are dedicated to Etsy which is synonymous with quality handmade items. Our very diverse group provides a place to chat, exchange ideas, help and support like minded members who call themselves the Boomers and Beyond Etsy Street Team.

Here you will find business articles, helpful links, new trends and maybe just a little humor thrown in for good measure, too!

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Monday, April 13, 2009

Often when we celebrate our birthdays we relate to our sign of the zodiac as well as the type of birthstone related to the month or period pertaining to time our birth.

Traditionally on the birth of a child they would receive a piece of jewellery that incorporated a particular precious material. Now, depending on which list you wish to adhere to depends the actual stone. For instance if you were thinking along traditional lines the stones would not necessarily be the same as if you were considering a mystical slant or modern one.

It is believed that the custom of actually wearing birthstones first gained popularity in Poland in the fifteenth century. It was suggested that everyone wore the birthstone for each month, since the powers of the gemstone were heightened during its month. For the fullest effect, individuals needed to own an entire set of twelve gemstones and rotate them monthly. You can imagine coming to the end of the year and wishing you could remember which stone came next or where it had been ‘safely’ stored! Below I searched under the BBEST Team tag and found these beauties although it was nigh on impossible to find Beryl. I, personally, had never heard of it but did find a seller on Etsy who had, called goldsmithsk who had created a very pretty bracelet. Likewise I could not find anyone within the BBEST team who had worked with bloodstone but did find a seller called gibscot who created a fun bracelet with Scottie dogs!

This necklace consists of beryl and gold in between making a very pretty and unusual piece.

Interestingly enough the Gregorian calendar has poems matching each month with its birthstone. However, you will note there are some slight discrepancies on which stones belong to a particular month. For instance, I found that the star sign Scorpio (October 24 - November 22) quoted Beryl as a birthstone. But, the Gregorian calendar quotes October should wear the Opal or Topaz and April should wear diamonds and so it goes on – very confusing!

Maybe next time I will incorporate the verses that go with the month and the stone. It’s just an excuse really to show off some more wonderful talent within the BBEST Team and, maybe, a few other sellers as well!